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This forest, abundant with water and wildlife, was once a nature reserve managed by the Sanctum. The crystal pillar shimmers through the gaps between the twisted tree trunks that are spread across the land.

In Final Fantasy XIII-2, the Sunleth Waterscape has lost its lush green and become more "autumnal." New species of giant monsters have moved in, and they can be used as transportation, along with the vines hanging throughout the area.

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Off-limits to civilians, this unusual nature reservation is often visited by Sanctum officials engaged in ecological field studies. Research into the local ecosystem is conducted via climate-control mechanisms installed in the area. These mechanisms provide direct access to the fal'Cie in charge of manipulating weather conditions.

The Sunleth Waterscape is a nature preserve located inside Cocoon. After the catastrophe, the various fal'Cie that controlled the weather became dormant and the light of the fal'Cie Phoenix, which once served as Cocoon's sun, dimmed considerably.

For these reasons, the native biosystem has broken down and the site is now a haven for monsters.

From the Editor's Desk

Jars of concentrated miniflan mucus are sold exclusively at the local Academy branch office. Known as Firaga for the Tongue, the spice is wildly popular with chefs who need to give their dishes an extra dash of hellish heat.

When Hope Estheim was eight-years-old, he and his close friends Kai and Elida went on a school field trip to the Sunleth Waterscape.[1] With Sazh as the pilot of their airship, Hope, Kai, and Elida and their class landed at a temporary landing facility near Lake Shayra. Their teacher told the class they would walk from Lake Shayra through Rainbow Pass and along the forest trail before turning back. Guided by a researcher, the class went along the lake's edge and up a hill to Rainbow Pass, all the while taking pictures with their toy cameras and learning about the scenery and wildlife. Trekking through the slippery Tree-Shaded Path, Hope and Elida were fatigued but Kai was still full of energy despite being covered in dirt. The class returned to the lake's shore for lunch. Hope recovered from his fatigue and wondered what to do now that his camera was full. Kai sought to climb a tree and take a picture for his younger brother Hal, but Hope had a bad feeling about it. Kai had dropped his camera, so the three searched the area but found nothing.

Kai thought he lost his camera somewhere between Rainbow Pass and Lake Shela but the path had been closed off. Thinking about Hal and how disappointed he would be, Hope suggested they sneak back onto the path and look for Kai's camera. The trio took a side path to slip past the researchers cleaning up the main route. They encountered a Flandragora that chased them until they escaped and got themselves lost. Following advice from his father, Hope used a sharp rock to mark a boulder with an 'X' to designate their starting position, and he, Elida, and Kai continued onward.

Around noon they found a machine panel which Elida activated. After failing to use it and call for help, the trio continued along a rocky path and came across a climate control orb Elida touched against Kai and Hope's protest, causing rainfall. They retreated in a rock tunnel for shelter but Hope recalled a researcher saying certain monsters enjoy rain. He made a run for the orb to shut off the rain but several Mud Frogs and Hedge Frogs appeared near him and Elida. The monsters advanced towards them but turned away as someone stopped the rain. Thanks to Elida tampering with the panel, their airship found them and they were taken back aboard. Kai's camera was returned to him as a researcher had found it while cleaning up the path and brought it back to the airship. Hope regretted suggesting to go look for it, causing the misadventure, and putting himself and his friends in danger. After returning to their seats Hope wanted to apologize to Kai but the latter enjoyed himself and was not angry. In the evening the airship prepared to leave Sunleth. At Elida's insistence, Kai took a picture for Hal as he promised: a night view of Sunleth.

Following the fresh smell, Vanille leads Sazh to the Sunleth Waterscape after the pair leaves the Vile Peaks. After they spot PSICOM ships flying overhead heading in the direction of Palumpolum, Sazh comments that Lightning and Hope could be in trouble. Vanille doesn't think there is anything they can do to help, and suggests running in the opposite direction—towards the city of Nautilus.

Vanille and Sazh sneak onto the port.

Sazh recounts the story of how his son Dajh became a l'Cie for the Sanctum during the Euride Gorge incident, and how he joined the Purge to save Dajh from his Focus. They come across the port to Nautilus, and wait to catch a boat in the pouring rain. Vanille asks if Sazh hates Gran Pulse, to which he replies he did not use to. He claims to have suspected the Sanctum's motives for their propaganda until he got sucked into their stories about Pulse. Sazh believes the Purge and everything after it happened because Dajh sensed a Pulse fal'Cie in the Pulse Vestige back in Bodhum. Vanille tells him Dajh wasn't at fault and Sazh turns the blame onto the Pulse l'Cie who caused the Euride incident. Vanille seems to be hiding something as she runs out into the rain to hide her tears.

After the fal'Cie Cactuar and Snow get caught in a temporal distortion the two witness many events, including Serah's death. Snow requests to be made a l'Cie and Cactuar gives him the Focus of fighting alongside Serah during the final battle. They arrive at the Sunleth Waterscape in the year 300 AF where they are confronted by Royal Ripeness, and Cactuar is driven away while Snow stays to fight the beast.

While in search of Lightning three years later, Serah Farron, Noel Kreiss, and Mog travel to Sunleth Waterscape at 300 AF. Since Cocoon's fall, the fal'Cie that used to maintain the Sunleth Waterscape have become dormant. In 300 AF, Noel and Serah find Snow overcome by Miniflan constituting Royal Ripeness, a monster threatening Cocoon's crystal pillar. Concluding this event to be a paradox, Serah and Noel use a giant Enlil to reach an artefact that leads them to the Archylte Steppe of another era where they find the anomaly: a Faeryl that ingested a Black Hole Gem that caused devoured Miniflan to be sent to the 300 AF Sunleth Waterscape.

Caius and Yeul.

Defeating the monster, the number of flan in the Sunleth Waterscape decreases and they find Snow fighting the reduced Mutantomato. Having told him not to exert himself, Noel berates Snow for believing himself to be everyone's hero and protector, asking if he had ever really saved anyone, and if he realizes how his recklessness affects the people around him, namely the ones he is supposed to protect. Snow entrusts Serah under Noel's protection and disappears as the paradox affecting the area has been corrected. Noel, Mog, and Serah leave through a Time Gate and Caius Ballad and Paddra Nsu-Yeul appear, the former asking if their actions in this time are acceptable.

Serah scolding at the miniflans.

In 400 AF, the Academy has made Sunleth Waterscape a protected observatory as they find the young Miniflan have begun to form communities called "Flan Schools." Serah, Noel, and Mog help the Miniflan find their missing friends, but once the flan are reunited they threaten to take out the crystal pillar with their rough housing. Being a teacher, and having experience with troublemaking kids, Serah scares the Miniflan into promising to behave themselves.

In Final Fantasy XIII, the Sunleth Waterscape is a mountainous area covered with lakes, large trees and cliffs. It's connected with the Vile Peaks and has a seabus transportation service to Nautilus. Gazing into the skies reveals distant landmasses beyond the clouds. The area is lush in vegetation and has many flowers and butterflies.

In Final Fantasy XIII-2, the area seen in the first installment is not available for exploration, and the new area is located near the crystal pillar and its surroundings are explorable on various tree branches. The area appears autumnal and the party can move via vines hanging from the trees, and use large tree trunks and branches to navigate to different locations.

Lightning travels through the Sunleth Waterscape in the E3 2006 trailer, but she does not visit the area in the final game. It is likely she was simply used as a placeholder, as she was the first character unveiled for the game. The area in Final Fantasy XIII where Sazh and Vanille board the boat to Nautilus is only seen in a cutscene, but can be made playable via hacks.

When asked why Sunleth Waterscape is populated by flan in Final Fantasy XIII-2 the lead scenario writer Daisuke Watanabe answered: "We are aware that most episodes in the game are very serious. So we thought that the Sunleth Waterscape location offered an opportunity to introduce a humorous note and the flan creatures are perfect for this purpose."[2]

The eponymous theme, "Sunleth Waterscape," plays as the background music. It is one of the few location themes in the series to have distinct English lyrics. The song is performed by Frances Maya, alternating with a piano melody and background percussion and violin.

In the year 300 AF, "Starting Over" plays as the location theme. It is composed by Naoshi Mizuta, sung by Joelle, and mixed by GOH HOTODA. An alternate version, "Starting Over -Aggressive Mix-" plays whenever monsters appear, and unlike the original version, it is not mixed by GOH HOTODA. At 400 AF and 300 AF in the southern parts, the original theme from Final Fantasy XIII returns as the background theme, but the lyrics are from the Japanese version instead of the overseas English version.

The Sunleth Waterscape is the closest place in Final Fantasy XIII-2 to inspect the crystal pillar.

There are puddles in the Sunleth Waterscape in Final Fantasy XIII that do not ripple when observed, but have visible rippled patterning. It is unknown whether this was a surreal aesthetic choice, as later in the area the waterlogged floor ripples as expected.